San Francisco @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( May 22, 2016 ) Chi. Cubs 0, San Francisco 1

Jeff Samardzija was sent packing by the Chicago Cubs in the summer of 2014 when the franchise was still in rebuilding mode. The San Francisco Giants' right-hander will get a close-up look at some of his former teammates on Thursday when he takes the mound at Wrigley Field for the first time since the trade in the opener of a four-game series between potential playoff opponents.

Samardzija, who spent parts of seven seasons with Chicago, was dispatched to Oakland and then joined the Chicago White Sox in 2015 and his outing against the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field last season didn't go well. He was roughed for six runs and nine hits in six innings, serving up two homers to Chris Coghlan and another to Anthony Rizzo. The Giants, who trail the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers by 1 1/2 games in the National League West, are opening a 10-game road excursion while Chicago has a 48-19 home record and major league-best 85-47 overall mark. Leading NL MVP candidate Kris Bryant smashed his 36th homer - tied for the league lead with Colorado's Nolan Arenado - during Wednesday's 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates and is 24-for-52 with eight homers and 17 RBIs during a 13-game hitting streak.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), CSN Chicago-Plus

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (11-9, 4.00 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Mike Montgomery (4-5, 2.60)

Samardzija defeated Atlanta in his last outing when he scattered seven hits and three walks in seven shutout innings. He is 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA over his past four starts after suffering through a four-start stretch in which he went 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA. A victory would represent a career-best 12th for Samardzija, who is in the first season of a five-year, $90 million contract with the Giants.

Montgomery is making his third start in 10 appearances since joining the Cubs in a trade from the Seattle Mariners. He received a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday when he gave up three runs and six hits in five innings. Montgomery has 22 strikeouts in 18 innings with Chicago but has a high WHIP of 1.61 primarily due to 11 walks.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs LF Jorge Soler was 5-for-10 with a homer, two doubles and two walks during a three-game sweep of the Pirates.

2. San Francisco CF Denard Span (neck) sat out Wednesday's victory over Arizona and is questionable for the opener.

3. Chicago recalled INF Tommy La Stella from Iowa -- he went 0-for-2 on Wednesday -- and optioned RHP Spencer Patton to the same Triple-A club.

PREDICTION: Cubs 7, Giants 5